Sneak Preview of The Faithful Departed

Philip F. Lawler's latest book, The Faithful Departed, promises to be a great and thoughtful analysis of the root cause of the Church's sex abuse scandal, and the collapse of Catholic life and influence in Boston, once one of America's most Catholic cities. His insights and analysis cast light on the corruption and decline of the Church throughout America.

Calling the book "stunning," former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating writes:

"Lawler tells the story of the Church's role in advancing a culture of morality and excellence within the 19th-century immigrant community. But all of that good crashes into a mid-20th century wall of indifference, amorality, and hostility to orthodoxy and 'the power of Faith.'

The same story holds true throughout much of the country. Depressing repetition meets depressing repetition.

Lawler places the blame squarely on the laps of the shepherds, the bishops who were more interested in their public image and meeting the mortgage payments, than the safety of souls. His is a powerful story of a dismal period in the life of the Church."

You will want to read the whole book when it is formally released next month -- February 2008 -- by Encounter Books. It is available now for pre-release orders on Amazon.com.

In the meantime, the introductory chapter is available here.